PwC ranks number one for social mobility

PwC has been ranked the top UK employer in the Social Mobility Employer Index 2023.

The Index, created by the Social Mobility Foundation, ranks Britain’s employers that have taken the most action to improve social mobility in the workplace. This is the third time that PwC has topped the ranking since its inception, demonstrating its commitment to ensure they are open to talent from all social backgrounds.

Employers are assessed across seven key areas, including their work with young people, routes into the company, how they attract talent, recruitment and selection, data and advocacy, and progression. This year 143 employers were considered for the Top 75 rankings.

PwC has continued its commitment to increasing the variety of routes for people of all backgrounds into the firm, engaging with a wide range of schools and universities across the country and providing both employment and schools outreach programmes.  

In the last academic year PwC supported over 17,000 secondary school students from lower social economic background and social mobility target schools with skills development. This included inviting over 2600 into our offices to show them the opportunities available and support them in developing skills such as communication, teamwork and business acumen. Over 200 students from across the UK joined the firm’s New World, New Skills paid work experience week, all of whom met social mobility criteria.

One of the firm’s key recruitment challenges lies in reaching the talent it needs to build the most diverse teams. PwC removed the 2:1 degree classification requirement for all its undergraduate and graduate roles, internships and placements last year, opening up opportunities to more people. And its recent investment in Cardiff provides PwC with a platform to recruit people from across the piste enabling it to supercharge its existing social mobility and community engagement programmes.

Kevin Ellis, Senior Partner at PwC UK, said: 

“It’s an honour to be named social mobility employer of the year, and a responsibility. Social mobility, or lack of social mobility, is not only a societal issue but an issue for business and the economy.  If opportunity narrows, labour markets shrink and workforces become one-dimensional.  We’ve seen first hand the benefits of improving the diversity of our workforce - and are committed to doing more. It’s positive to see so many employers enter the index as we can all learn from each other.”

Sarah Atkinson, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation, said:

“The employers represented in this year’s Index recognise that the workplace is as important as the classroom for improving social mobility. They are doubling down and are rightly continuing to prioritise social mobility as an investment in the talent of the future.”